Injection molding is commonly used to form plastic articles that are relatively rigid in nature, including containers, medical devices, and so forth. For example, containers for stacks or rolls of pre-moistened wipes are generally formed by injection molding techniques. One problem associated with such containers, however, is that the molding material is often formed from a synthetic polymer (e.g., polypropylene or HDPE) that is not renewable (e.g., directly obtained or derived from a plant) or biodegradable. The use of biodegradable and renewable polymers in the injection molding material is likewise problematic due to the difficulty involved with thermally processing such polymers. Further, when attempting to use biodegradable polymers, it is also generally necessary to use a different molding tool due to the differences in shrinkage properties between such polymers and conventional synthetic polymers. Unfortunately, the need to change molding tools increases the time and costs involved with the molding operation.
As such, a need currently exists for an injection molding material that contains a biodegradable and renewable component.